Barefoot, Pregnant and in the Kitchen

Politically, we are watching the U.S. spiralling down the drain.

(Calgary, Alberta) - I was outraged by the headline when I opened this morning’s New York Times: Women in Texas Losing Options for Health Care in Abortion Fight. I’ve never been a great fan of democracy because it’s a given that people can usually be counted on to vote against their own best interests. But this goes beyond that, where not only have the Republicans declared war on women, but many women are willingly serving as foot soldiers in the ranks.

This is what Abrahamic religion does to women. We have come to see it in Islamic countries where women are not allowed to go out in public without a male “guardian”.

Women in such countries have been subjected to significant repression, but it’s the end result of centuries of male subjection and domination. As women of America lose more and more rights, it’s in their best interest to un-elect Republicans before their own right to vote itself is lost. Then it’s too late.

When I first opened this story, there were 177 comments, Three hours later, there were over 600. Here are just a handful of the comments:

• This is outrageous, boneheaded, and sadistic. It's a dramatic example of what happens when we place right-wing Republicans in positions of authority. Their playbook is to cater to the narrow, hard-line social agenda of the far right rather than to what is good for all their constituents.
• Texas should be regarded as a third world country, such as Afghanistan: Primitive beliefs, rampant corruption, lacking in education, mistreating women. It's a pity it can't be ceded to Venezuela, or at least be forced to move culturally in the direction of the 21st century. Banning cowboy hats and boots, and other such adolescent props, might help. If hats are needed, let them use pith helmets.
• Any woman who votes Republican deserves what she gets.
• One of the easiest ways to keep people poor is to make sure they have lots of children. This keeps them servile and exploitable.
• Texas currently ranks at the bottom ten (41st or higher) of all states in terms of educational outcomes like high school drop out rate, teen pregnancy, various health and welfare metrics, and overall incarceration rate. They are nothing that should be held up as a model for anyone else in this great nation.
• We are already an oligarchy - now we are fast becoming a theocracy.
• You know I am really beginning to truly despise the Republican party. Their cruelty and incivility is breathtaking. At one time I had respect for some of their people. Howard Baker is just one that comes to mind. Now, they are just despicable and not one has a shread (sic) of decency and courage. And these people call themselves Christians. What true Christian takes joy in the suffering of others? What true Christian allows children to go hungry and without medicine due to some economic theory that is based on selfishness? But what the Republicans have truly become are cowards. They are cowards, at least at the leadership level. And cowardice always leads to evil in the end.
• Such a vile combination of ignorance, ideology, and cruelty is sweeping state legislatures across this country. Voters can bite back in November, but much of the damage is already deep and will take nearly a decade to undo, since redistricting (i.e. power consolidation) has already occurred and won't change again until 2020. I truly hope we are witnessing the last gasps of white, male hegemony in this country. (I say this as a white male.) The Republican Party and Pro Life voters never got over the Supreme Court ruling in Griswold Vs. State of Connecticut which overturned Connecticut's law that made it illegal to sell condoms in a drug store. This law was on the books because of longstanding Catholic doctrine against contraception and the use of condoms and other contraceptive devices.

Then I read about the Republicans' physical assault on women.

In Texas a woman seeking an abortion must first allow an ultrasound probe to be inserted into her vagina. “It’s state-sanctioned abuse,” said Dr. Curtis Boyd, a Texas physician who provides abortions. “It borders on a definition of rape. Many states describe rape as putting any object into an orifice against a person’s will. Well, that’s what this is. A woman is coerced to do this, just as I’m coerced.”

And it goes downhill from there. I read a piece by Stanley Fish titled: “Rick Santorum isn’t crazy”. After reading the article I have to agree. It’s not Rick Santorum, but the American people who are crazy.

Politically, we are watching the U.S. go down the drain. Those who would deny this, are, sad to say, just drinking the Republican Kool-Aid. Militarily, with it’s nuclear weapons, the U.S. is the most powerful nation on earth. Politically, it ranks with third world countries. This, in spite of the most wonderful Constitution in the world (LOL) and the nation's vaunted exceptionalism

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Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Daniel Johnson as a teenager aspired to be a writer. Always a voracious reader, he reads more books in a month than many people read in a lifetime. He also reads 100+ online articles per week. He knew early that in order to be a writer, you have to be a reader.

He has always been concerned about fairness in the world and the plight of the underprivileged/underdog.

As a professional writer he sold his first paid article in 1974 and, while employed at other jobs, started selling a few pieces in assorted places.

Over the next 15 years, Daniel eked out a living as a writer doing, among other things, national writing and both radio and TV broadcasting for the CBC, Maclean’s (the national newsmagazine) and a wide variety of smaller publications. Interweaved throughout this period was soul-killing corporate and public relations writing.

It was through the 1960s and 1970s that he got his university experience. In his first year at the University of Calgary, he majored in psychology/mathematics; in his second year he switched to physics/mathematics. He then learned of an independent study program at the University of Lethbridge where he attended the next two years, studying philosophy and economics. In the end he attended university over nine years (four full time) but never qualified for a degree because he didn't have the right number of courses in any particular field.

In 1990 he published his first (and so far, only) book: Practical History: A guide to Will and Ariel Durant’s “The Story of Civilization” (Polymath Press, Calgary)

Newly appointed as the Deputy Executive Editor in August 2011, he has been writing exclusively for Salem-News.com since March 2009 and, as of summer 2011, has published more than 160 stories.

View articles written by Daniel Johnson






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Anonymous March 11, 2012 10:51 am (Pacific time)

Ralph, re: ultrasounds before an abortion procedure, it's not just Texas, did you know that? Virginia Becomes Eighth State to Require Ultrasounds before Abortions Newsdag.com. // Women in Virginia, like those in seven other states, will be required to undergo an ultrasound procedure as a condition for having an abortion under a new law signed by Republican Governor Bob McDonnell. An earlier version of the bill created a national controversy because it would have required some women to have a transvaginal ultrasound, which many criticized as physically invasive and unacceptably intrusive. The law as signed, however, requires only an abdominal ultrasound. The other seven states that also require an ultrasound are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Texas also requires the ultrasound technician to display and describe the resulting image...
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Karin March 10, 2012 11:01 am (Pacific time)

Mr Stone, You left out 2 hugely important medical needs for men that are eating a cavernous hole in medicare, other than useless stints and fake knees/hips etc. Viagra and Erectile Disfunction 'devices' which are covered for men. I don't want to quote a wrong figure, but it is big, and if you don't believe me, do a quick google search!
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Karin March 10, 2012 10:52 am (Pacific time)

Thanks to the Author for doing ths short piece on 'Democracy' in action.. and I'm not using the word actions without meaningAs in: Lights!! Camera !! Action What a ridiculous dog and pony show our political system and so called news has become! I gave up MSM yrs ago, I found their contatnt habits of talking to us like we are stupid children and rants about any number of honestly meaningless non-journalism increasingly insulting.
Let's not forget the wild car chases by the police via helicopter video! WoW on the edge of your seat journalism there! Don't worry Daniel Johnson, we are the laughing stock of the World and it is well deserved, and Canada is more than welcome to join inBut, I must poke a bit of critisizm you're way just to 'level the plaing field'. How are those Tar Sands projects working our for the environment in Canada, eh?
I've read enough of your subject matter in a few articles,and I would imagine you aren't too proud of that Canadian accomplishment either.The Good ole USA is sliding down fast and furious ( pun intended! see: DOJ Holder and gunrunning in Mexico) Our one shining mantle is stained and gaining quite a patina. Personally, I have unofficialy divorced her, not our of love of Mother Earth, but of the PTB. I am currently reading some material I found recently, via a Canadian website, no less, of how to divorce them legally, seems some Canadians feel the same as I so he has info for both countries on his siteSupposedly, Rothchild intimated to Aaron Russo that the PTB actually funded the 'womans movement' for two reasons. 1. more tax dollars
2.much more access to children and their 'development' at an early age.
As Mr. Russo did not film the episode, and is deceased, we shall never know the truth, but it seems plausable. Shoot, at this place in time, Anything seems plausable The now 2 year lead up to the 4 yr. long presidency, is pure theatre and people seem to eat it up! Shows the mentality in 2012.?

Thanks, Karin. I take your comment about Canada at face value. Because we were not born in violence, as the U.S. was, our origin gave us a different direction of development.

Oil sands are not where we shine and is the result of Alberta (in particular) being in thrall the to U.S. oil companies. Alberta is more like Texas, than any other region of Canada.
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Anonymous March 10, 2012 9:51 am (Pacific time)

Editor, I personally am not a Santorum supporter, nor a Republican, but I will vote for any candidate that is not Obama. The below polls are but a snapshot, but my prayers are they acknowledge a trend showing "more likely" voters are seeing through the smoke. "Overall, 44% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's job performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) at least somewhat disapprove...Today's numbers show Romney at 48%, Obama at 43%...If Santorum is the Republican nominee, he is up by one point over the president, 46% to 45%..." http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll // Ralph Stone I also have no problem with abortion, but agree with the majority of voters that it should not be a taxpayer mandate, Obviously congress had the ability to pass that during the first two years of the Obama administration, just like sunsetting the Bush tax cuts, so why didn't they? Did you notice that the Fluke controversey exposed the real misogynists? I imagine that will be a major campaign issue coming soon as the anti-female quotes come out and the political affiliations of those haters. Some must be stunned by the backfire.
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Ralph E. Stone March 10, 2012 7:21 am (Pacific time)

Anonymous, abortion is legal in the U.S. If Obamacare covers cancer treatment, heart disease, etc., why not abortion? When you write about Sandra Fluke, I almost see Rush Limbaugh.
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Anonymous March 9, 2012 6:17 pm (Pacific time)

Actually Stephen I was addressing the so-called "contraception" distraction and should have made that a more concise reference. Ralph nothing was done to take away anyone's rights, abortions can still be done, but using taxpayers money, the 50% who actually pay income tax, should not be used as per the desires of the majority. There are plenty of free-based organizations that do that procedure. Ralph have you seen the national polls done by "professional" pollsters on how the majority feel about using taxpayer money for abortions? Then when you have Obama telling religious groups they have no 1st Amendment rights on how they practice their faith regarding his unilateral, and most likely illegal, mandated coverages, you then can clearly see that the left can only use distraction, e.g. , law student Fluke, to obfuscate their agenda. I imagine someday, with the way public education has been going, a majority of voters will see it your way re: tax paid abortions, but hopefully a sterilization with pay will come first. Flukes parents a long time ago would have been excellent candidates for that procedure. Just kidding Ralph, I don't want to lose any advertisers, though no one yet has had a "net loss" of any advertisers for characterizing various individuals behavior re: contraception/abortion issues. By the way Ralph, have you read the "Obamacare Bill?" It appears no one did before voting, and the republicans, House and Senate, voted no. Do you recall Obama's campaign promise to have all bills on the internet at least 5 days before a vote? So what happened? As they say, trust but verify. Divisiveness is the hallmark of the current administration. Look at the congressional voting record as per former administrations and see the difference.

Sounds like, come November, you'll be voting Republican. You sound like a Santorum supporter.
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Ralph E. Stone March 9, 2012 12:58 pm (Pacific time)

Anonymous, you forgot about the fight over the passage of Obamacare. Even though abortion is legal in the U.S., the Republicans in the Senate repeatedly tried to veto the legislation entirely or at least repeal abortion funding. Previously the Supak-Pitts proposed amendment would have prohibited the use of federal funds to pay for any abortion. The proposed amendment was rejected. Remember when President George W. Bush circumvented plans by pro-abortion congressmen to overturn his freeze on US aid to international population control groups that advocate abortion by issuing the policy as a memorandum. Every Democrat platform supports abortion while every Republican platform opposes abortion. In 1983, Congress voted on a constitutional amendment proposed by Orrin Hatch, that would have voided the Roe v. Wade decision. It did not pass. In 1984, the House defeated, by a vote of 219 to 186, an amendment to a civil rights act that would have declared a fetus to be a "person," entitled to full legal protection. In sum, I would venture to say that a majority in Congress would now endorse the basic right to an abortion, but framing legislation to codify the right to abortion will take time and many compromises.
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stephen March 9, 2012 11:39 am (Pacific time)

Anon at 7:18..you are kidding right? Do you research at all? Legislation letting obama kill american citizens for no reason, no judge, no jury and torture? How about the latest legislation approved that wlll not allow protests around government officials? I have many more, but thinking you aint worth the time..bush did the patriot act!! obama just expanded it. Clinton repealed glass-steagle, which gave bush the power to spend money we dont have...etc, etc.. presidents are nothing but puppets to the bankers.
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Anonymous March 9, 2012 7:18 am (Pacific time)

This is political propaganda. Can anyone name one member of congress who has put forth any bill to take away anyone's rights in this area? When Republicans were totally in control of the Whitehouse, the Senate, the House, with a clear conservative majority on the Supreme Court, did they take away any women's rights at that time? Have any of you seen a nearly full term baby have it's brains sucked out, or a vital infant who survived an abortion, but was still put to death? Well Obama while in the Illinois legislature voted to say this was legal in that state. Of course he voted more "present" than "yay" or "nay" while in that legislative body. In terms of this distraction with contraception, oh come on! This is another election season smoke and mirror move. You are telling me a 30 year old woman (Fluke) in law school cannot figure out how to go to Planned Parenthood, or dozens of other organizations to get free Birth control pills or rubbers, or ? Look at Fluke's activist history to see what she and other dems in congress were doing. This is all political, it will backfire. The bigger issue here deals with 1st Amendment rights. Once again show some legislation by conservatives in congess that takes away any rights. It is the far left forces that are taking away rights. Just study your Marxist history, or Saul Alinsky, and see their social/political blueprint. All the primary actions in the last 3 years, it is all there. Please vote wisely this November. Use your brain, don't let emotional hyperbole override your critical thinking ability, that is, demand to see real evidence. The far left will not be able to do that, they depend on irrational emotional thinking to get your votes, or if they won't get it, well then they use fraud, or cherry-pick judges to temp. overrule the people's vote. Think about the latter for a minute.
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JT March 8, 2012 9:07 pm (Pacific time)

When we take away choices we take away autonomy. America is now a fascist regime and they got the American people to do it to themselves! Those right wing fundy Christians are laughing all the way t the White House.
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stephen March 8, 2012 12:15 pm (Pacific time)

actually, I would rather see women in high heels, and not pregnant (that 36x24x36 is highly underrated), :-) (kidding, kinda).but I would not mind them being in the kitchen making me dinner and getting me a beer :-) And, I told ya all the plans from the Rand corporation etc, that they were going to take down the united states years ago, but Canada? I still say they are a 50+ state of the U.S. They are going to take down israel also..watch and see. Remember these words, they will take down the U.S., since canada is a 50+ state, canada will fall, and I am not 100% sure yet, but they will also take down israel..Its all in their plans, they dont care who wins or loses, they will be in control..At least they think they are..Guess we will find out as time passes. History did not start when we were born, history started thousands of years ago..People should research history before the rothshchild zionists/Rockefeller dynasty, destroy the history. Daniel, the queen of England controls canada, and its the queen, the U.N. the rotchchilds and rockerfellers etc...wake up my friend.
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